„Where is the best place to build your own secret base? Of course, right under the nose of your enemy!” exclaimed Huic, petting his own shoulders. He looked pleased with his own nonsensical behaviour.

Lure shook her head, yet admired his boldness. As an official hero, Huic had the right to establish a hidden depot or lab in the basement of NIP’s main quarters in 3N. Genius. He had his prey exactly hidden where the enemy would not search it: in its lair. A missing hero is no trivial affair. The authorities had been searching for hours and days, unraveling every single stone in Khalut to find Lumière, for she was a precious tool to the philosophers.

The lab-like room had no visible ceiling, shrouded in blackness. Part of its area was dedicated as a prison for empowered humans: violet shinning, transparent walls formed a cage where a bird lay, Lumière. Lumière, pitiful Lumière. Her legs were chained to the ground. She could stand. She could speak –, yet she was trapped like a bird, her freedom denied.

“I will not bow to the likes of you, traitor!” she proclaimed, barking like a mad dog, her will unbending.

“I’m sorry Huic, but she needs to bath. She’s still a lady.” Sinistra fanned with hands, but she was right, the odour became unbearable after two weeks.

“I agree. That’s no fair treatment. Do we really need to chain her?” asked Lure.

Hissing, Huic contested with an offended expression, “I’m no barbarian, but this lab wasn’t meant to be a prison, so I had to improvise a little bit. It has a toilet, though! Look, it’s already so difficult to suppress her Power...”

“Then give her at least a possibility to wash,” said Sinistra, not really convinced by his excuse. She crossed her arms and stood there rebellious, fighting for her enemy’s well-being. As a child of the Ghetto, Sinistra had lived a hard life. However, even streets rats knew the concept of dignity, she always told Lure.

“Fine, I shall give her the opportunity.”

“I’m still here. Vile fiend.” Lumière's eyes were blazing full of hatred.

“Erm, now I feel like some cliché villain, then I must apologize for the inconveniences I brought to you. “

She looked at him incredulously, probably thinking if he was mocking her. Lure sympathized with her. Huic was a man of many gifts: a sharp intellect, a cunning spirit, yet he tended to lose himself in functionality, disregarding everything non-substantive as a time loss. At that point, she even wondered if he changed his underwear every second day. Though, she blushed when she realized what she was thinking.

“How long will you keep her here?” asked Sinistra, guiding the conservation back on track.

“About that, I brought Lure here to train her abilities.”

Lumière shouted, “So you will torture me?”

“I prefer brainwashing, less bloody.”

“Where are my companions?”

Huic expanded his hands, forming a sphere. “In my grasp, yet alive and residing somewhere in Africa.” He wasn’t joking, he wasn’t the type to do so. His madness was to think he was righteous, for he truly believed he had done her a favour. “Don’t limit your potential, but try to be a role model. Be independent.”

Neither Lure, Sinistra nor Lumière did know what Huic meant by those words. He turned towards Lure and said, “Use your Suggestion ability and try to make her submit. It will take several sittings.”

“I refuse,” she said with a protesting body language: her head shook, her arms were crossed, her feet were placed away from Huic and her lips formed a slight duckface.

He laughed manically. “I know you will. The future is already partly set in stone. All your struggling, all your sacrifices will lead you to a certain point. If only this were not the case,” he was babbling nonsense again. He caressed his watch that had neither digital numbers nor clock-hands, took it off and offered it to Lure. “Take it, I don’t need this artifact anymore.”

Lure accepted the gifted, unfunctional watch. “What can it do?”

“It measures time. This is precisely the task of watches,” he said in a tone as if he was explaining the most obvious things to a little child. “In time, you’ll understand its usage.”

This was simply too cryptic for Lure and even Sinistra’s confused face didn’t reassure her more.

He changed the topic, “In the future, you’ll need allies and power. Training your ability on Lumière will grant you what you desire.”

“But I’ll break her and deny her any form of free will.”

“Free will? You sadly don’t know anything about this world, or you wouldn’t have said it. Free will is denied to most of us humans.” The moment he said this, cracks appeared on the floor and on the wall; the light was flickering in short intervals. Huic shouted, cursed. He tore his hairs out and blood flooded out of his orifices. He coughed two mouthfuls of blood, too. Strange as it was, the phenomenon disappeared as fast as it had emerged.

“Shit, I have done it, I have said it out loud.” He had visibly aged. “I need to change my plan.” He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I have time anymore to introduce you to the Banished Diplomats myself. This task will be up to Coven or Swiftly who are now members too.”

WHAT IS HAPPENING? She simply couldn’t comprehend what had just transpired.

He patted Lure’s back. “Sorry, I can’t protect you any longer. Be prepared, when I am gone, some people might try to kidnap you. This hideout will be hidden even if I no longer walk upon this earth.” He turned to Sinistra. “You and your brother may live here, though you still need to somehow install a bath.”

He showed them how to use the portal which teleported them in and out and gave the two a respective key array which helped them control it. They needed to be in one km radium from NIP quarters to have access to the teleport mechanic.

He kicked them out of the lab before they could ask any more questions he obviously didn’t want to answer.

“You still look totally confused,” said Bastion.

Lure and fiancé were strolling around Glory district. The festivities had already started. Countless robots were flying in the air and tossing confetti on the parading superheroes. The emblem of The United Belgian Empire, a roaring mouse*, could be seen on many posters hanging on the façade of most corporate buildings.

“I am, I am lost,” she admitted. She still didn’t know what exactly had happened to Huic. Should I tell Bastion about my possible kidnapping? Nah, he’ll be worried. “Do you know what this is? It should be some kind of artifact.” She showed him the black watch with no clock-hands.

“Cheap leather band. I can’t tell you more.” He returned it.

“Your father won’t come?” asked Lure, admiring the views of the heroes and the rejoicing bystanders.

“Work.” He looked dejected. “Work like always. My father is a busy man who always lacks time for me or my mother.”

“Well, he's a responsible man.”

“Oh yes, he is. You're right.” He clenched his fists. “It’s his duty and without him, the world would be a worse place. Yet, I am still his son...”

Lure saw this yearning expression on his face. The yearning of a son who wants to be with his father. She knew that feeling too, her own dad was a busy man as well. She supposed all higher-ranked heroes were like this, perhaps all empowered humans who didn’t live under a rock, away from civilization.

“But my father should come.”

“Well were now in front of the headquarters. Let’s check out,” said Bastion.

An uneasy feeling spread in her gut since she had been participating in the capture of a hero. Nothing will happen. Momentarily, she eclipsed the noise around her and focused on her breathing. Slow and steady.

“Is something wrong?” asked the apprehensive boy.

“No. I’m just a lil bit nervous. I haven’t spoken to my father since our last argument.”

He nodded. “Right, I hope you’ll reconcile.”

They entered the modern-looking glass building. The ceiling was twenty meters in height, while the reception spanned over half the area. Several employees were bustling, doing their work.

Bastion inserted his herocard in an automaton and it lit green.

He gave Lure a smile. “We have now access to the first ten floors. We can enter the lift; face recognition allows us to do so. You shouldn’t move too far away from me because you don’t have one yet.”

She nodded. They entered the elevator and exited on the third floor.

A happy, drunken atmosphere greeted them: men let go of themselves, indulging in binge drinking or eating. Women were gossiping. What a merry-making. She couldn’t believe it, all those present were noble heroes. It appeared, this party wasn’t meant to be publicized and certainly not what happened in this very room, encompassing the whole floor.

It was too noisy, though, and she needed to block her ears. Her father weaved them in an ebullient welcome; he too seemed to have drunken more than one glass wine. Lure looked at Bastion. Yes, he was right, this was a perfect atmosphere, the perfect opportunity. She didn’t even mind the countless posters of roaring mice threatening her.

“Father, I welcome you,” she said with warmth.

Her father embraced her. “Sorry, I was too harsh last time.”

“No, I was a foolish daughter.”

“Aww, what a heart-melting reunion between a villainess daughter and her criminal father,” exclaimed a sarcastic voice, so loud that many people heard them.

“Obulus, this is not your business,” said her father, tightly hugging his precious daughter.

The middle-aged man with a royal blue coat answered, “So you are brushing her evil deeds under the carpet. And I thought you were an upright citizen, a worthy guardian.”

The onlookers started whispering; that man had attacked Strider's honour and only a duel could amend this affront, the loss of face.

“What do you want?”, her father asked.

The cunning man replied, stretching his hand towards two young men. “I want a duel between youngsters. How about your daughter and her fiancé against my two boys?”

Before Strider could answer, Bastion took her hand and said, “We shall never bow in front of a sly weasel and his petty tricks.” He looked at Lure who nodded approvingly. “We accept,” said both in unison.